The present invention relates to a device for recovering the contents in containers such as beer bottles.
In general automatic bottle-filling machines are used to put liquors such as beer, sake and the like, soft drinks such as juice and liquid condiments into bottles, but sometimes the quantity of filled liquid varies from one bottle to another. It is of course not preferable that the quantity of filled liquid is less or greater than a predetermined quantity. Therefore, devices for recovering the contents of over-filled bottles have been used in order to automatically recover the over-filled liquid.
A device for recovering the over-filled liquid which the inventors have used has the following construction. A cylindrical frame is horizontally disposed so as to be rotatable about its axis. The cylindrical frame has a supporting plate adapted to support a case containing a plurality of bottles and a liquid discharge chute disposed in opposed relationship with the case supporting plate. In general, the liquid discharge chute is in the form of a funnel and is adapted to engage with the opening of a bottle case supported on the supporting plate when an air cylinder which is mounted on the cylindrical frame is actuated. The larger closed end of the liquid discharge chute which releasably engages with the opening of the bottle case is formed with a plurality of holes through which the necks of the bottles in the case are extended. When the air cylinder is further actuated so that the larger closed end of the liquid discharge chute is engaged with the opening of the bottle case, the necks of the bottles enter the holes and the shoulders of the bottles abut against the edges of the holes, whereby the bottles are held stationary.
After the bottles are retained in position in the manner described above, the cylindrical frame is rotated through 100.degree. to 180.degree. to turn the bottle case upside down so that the contents in the bottles are discharged by gravity and the discharged liquid is directed through the liquid discharge chute into a reservoir or recovery tank disposed immediately below the cylindrical frame.
However, the device of the type described above has some problems. Firstly, since the cylindrical frame is rotated to turn the cases upside down, dust particles and water drops attached to the surfaces of cases and bottles are separated therefrom and mixed with the recovered liquid. Furthermore in the case of carbonated beverages and soft drinks, much foam is generated thereby to lose a considerably large quantity of recovered liquid.
In addition to the device of the type described above, the following device is used. That is, this device is similar in construction to a bottle opening machine and in general is assembled in combination with a bottle opening machine. This device comprises a rotary disk or turntable with a plurality of bottle supporting members circumferentially equiangularly spaced apart from each other. The piston rod of a lift cylinder is securely attached to the undersurface of the bottle supporting member so that the bottle supporting member may be lifted away from the turntable or rotary disk to a predetermined height. Disposed immediately above the turntable or rotary disk is a liquid draining device adapted to rotate in synchronism with the turntable or rotary disk. A plurality of liquid draining tubes or pipes equal in number to the bottle supporting members are depending from the liquid draining device in opposed relationship with the bottle supporting members and are communicated with a sunction pump which in turn is communicated with a reservoir or recovery tank. The liquid draining pipes are adapted to be inserted into the bottles. A bell-shaped guide member is slidably fitted on each of the liquid draining pipes and is adapted to fit over the neck portion of the bottle so that the liquid draining pipe may be smoothly inserted into the bottle.
The bottles whose contents are less or greater than a predetermined quantity are arranged in a straight array on a conveyor and transferred by a star wheel over the bottle supporting members one by one. When a bottle is placed on a bottle supporting member, the lift cylinder is actuated so that the bottle is lifted and its mouth or opening is engaged with the bell-shaped guide member of the liquid draining pipe. When the bottle is further lifted, the liquid draining pipe is inserted into the bottle while the bell-shaped guide member is lifted along the liquid draining pipe. When the lower end of the liquid draining pipe reaches a position spaced apart from the bottom of the bottle by a small distance, the bell-shaped guide member strikes against a stopper securely fixed to the liquid draining pipe so that the latter is lifted and consequently a control valve which is provided between the suction pump and the liquid draining pipe is opened. Therefore the liquid in the bottle is drained or suctioned to flow through the liquid draining pipe, the control valve and the suction pump into the reservoir or recovery tank.
After the content in the bottle has been completely drained, the lift cylinder is actuated again to lower the bottle supporting member and the emply bottle is transferred to a discharge conveyor disposed adjacent to the rotary disk or turntable so as to be transported to the next station.
The device of the type described above also has some disadvantages. Firstly, the bottles must be taken out of the cases and put on the conveyor and after the bottles have been emptied, they must be packed into the cases again. In order to automate such operations as described above, additional equipment such as an uncaser for taking the bottles from the cases and a caser for putting the emptied bottles into the cases must be provided, so that the overall liquid recovery system becomes large in size and complex in construction. Furthermore a large installation space will be needed.